Familiars
by JupiterAlt
Summary: A new threat called Familiars arises in Jump City; a terrifying breed of black magic and predatory violence. After the Teen Titan's first encounter with it ends with horrific consequences, Beast Boy is increasingly consumed with an inner battle of instincts. Raven is not unaffected either and her own grip on control becomes increasingly treacherous. [Beast Boy/Raven]
1. Birds Bleed

_Story Cover Image by Picolo-kun (on DeviantArt)_

 _A/N Slowly building up to longer stories since the one shot I posted the other day. I do a lot of RP and creative writing in my own time but it's been a long while since I've written Fanfiction. I've been interested in the parallels between Raven and Beast Boy for a while so I'm keen to explore it and some darker, hotter themes._

 _

Appreciate all reviews and comments as I'm a bit rusty! Rated M for eventual wink wink.

_

 _\- Jupiter_

-o-o-o-o-o-

His head felt... heavy. That was the first sensation that came to him through the thick fog of unconsciousness. A weight. That, and a feeling of general unease. Beast Boy's nostrils flared to the scent of fear, confusion and blood, before his other senses began kicking back in, one after another.

He opened his eyes with a soft groan, pupils tightening to a slit before expanding back out to normal, adjusting quickly to the low light. He was sitting upright, and a quick reflexive tensing of his forearms told him he was restrained. "Beast Boy." The voice of a friend came low and serious before the leader of the Teen Titians moved into his line of sight. "Robin... what the... ?" All at once Beast Boy realised he had no memory of how he'd gotten there. He had a blank chunk of time in his head and that had only happened once before. One long, careful look at the expression on Robin's face gave him all the confirmation he needed. Beast Boy took a breath, and turned his head to see something he'd never hoped to see again. No. _Please_ no. But there she was... _Raven_. The beeping of machines sunk into him like shivs to the brain. It couldn't be... it wasn't possible.

"Tell me this didn't happen again." Beast Boy was alert now, every lithe muscle tensed, his hands balled into fists through his restraints, glaring back to Robin. The hairs all over his body prickled in revulsion and fury, his claws digging into his palms. " **Robin**! _Tell me I didn't hurt her_!" Robin held his eyes for a brutally grim, honest exchange, respecting his shape shifting friend too much to offer any pretence. Panic lanced Beast Boy, making him tremble. His body was rigid, straining with force against the chair in his urgent instinct to go to her. Inspect her, check every inch of her over with a vigorous need to assess her condition. Assess what he'd _done_ to her. Every scratch, every mark. His head spun with the detection of her blood.

"Calm down Beastie." Cy's voice came from where his best friend stood beside Raven's medical bed, Starfire solemnly beside him, hands clasped sorrowfully. Beast Boy could only manage a strangled noise through his gritted teeth in response.

"Do you remember anything?" Robin's question came at him from a distance. Beast Boy couldn't tear his eyes from the girl in the bed. Raven... The strongest person he knew. Her dark hair floated about her face as if she lay under water, her beautiful, pale little wrists at her sides, palm up. She looked so terrifyingly... small.

They'd removed her cloak and uniform, covered her with a blanket that were tucked carefully under her arms to keep her warm. He felt sick as he saw the blood transfusion taking place, the bandages visible over her chest and shoulder.

"No." He managed to bite out through his clenched throat. He didn't remember a damn thing. The last thing he did remember was the bridge, her loosing control and then... nothing. Sucking in a sharp breath, he corrected himself. "The bridge... something happened." Robin nodded, and Cy took the opportunity to try to fill in the blanks. "We were fighting... whatever the hell that was.."

Beast Boy swallowed against his dry throat. He remembered the shadows twisting themselves into the shapes of half-formed beasts, remembered how they'd made his hackles rise. It was as if they broke all natural laws of nature, triggering some primal knowledge of _wrongness_. They hadn't been shadow or smoke, tangible but not solid, otherworldly but of this world, animal but not.

He hadn't been the only thing to feel it. The bridge had been a mess of screaming birds, dogs gone savage and frenzied cats attacking those things with all sense of self-preservation suspended. He remembered Raven being knocked to the ground, black viscous predators moving in on her. In tiger form, he'd spun around and made to go to her aid, to get between them before... before... "No one quite saw what happened B, but something messed up. It wasn't just you. The birds, the strays, those black things, anything animal just turned on her and attac—"

" _ **I'm not an animal**_!"

Beast Boy snarled, cold fury burning through him. "I'm not some birds or a damn stray, I'm a **man** first! _Her friend first_! I should NEVER have been able to—" He cut himself off, emotions seething, his body shaking. He wasn't a beast. No spell on earth, no primal confusion, NOTHING should be capable of making him turn on Raven. But, he had . . . and the damage a tiger could do... Beast Boy screwed his eyes shut for a moment before looking desperately back to Raven. "Is she going to be okay?" The question sounded feeble and stupid even to his own ears. Of course she wasn't going to be okay. He'd _mauled_ her.

"She's is in the trance of healing." Star's gentle, sympathetic voice was accompanied by her hand on top of his white-knuckled fist. He barely felt it. Where was that _smell_ coming fro— Looking down at himself, his heart almost stopped in his chest as he realised the smell of blood wasn't coming from just Raven, but from his clothes. _Her blood was all over him._

What little colour there was left drained from his face and the room was swallowed into screaming white noise. His pupils shrunk to pin pricks as he reacted in violent horror. Beast Boy didn't hear his friends try to calm him down, didn't feel their hands try to still him as his body convulsed as if rending itself apart by sheer will. Unwilling, unwanting, _incapable_ of accepting her blood all over him. Everything went suddenly, thankfully, black.

-o-o-o-o-o-

 _That's the first chapter! It is intended to be similar to the scene in 'The Beast Within' but within this story those events have already taken place. They are all older and BB never in a million years thought he'd have to relive anything like this again. Only this time, there is no Adonis, and his worse fear is real._


	2. You Promised Me

_A/N Thanks for the positive reviews everyone! It's really encouraged me to press forwards with writing more. I have developed my ideas more already and am really excited to play them out for you._

 _\- Jupiter_

-o-o-o-o-o-

The next time he opened his eyes Beast Boy was flat on his back, in his bed, in his room. The familiar smells and textures instantly identified his surroundings to him; the linen sheets, a slight musk of woods and raw tobacco. He didn't smoke, but he liked the smell of the stuff when fresh and dried. The room was heavy in darkness, and he stared at the ceiling for... he didn't know how long.

Someone had gotten his suit off him and chucked him in the shower. Probably Cy. The scent of blood was pretty much gone. He lay just in a pair of boxers, clean and conflicted, coming to terms with recent events. He didn't allow himself the fantasy of hoping that it had all been a dream. He knew it hadn't been, and Raven deserved better. She deserved better than him just laying there with no explanation for turning on her, ripping her open... He wanted answers, reasons, anything to keep the crippling wave of guilt from fully hitting him.

Slowly, Beast Boy pulled himself to sit up in the king sized bed, muscles protesting stiffly. Several bandages around his middle let him know that he hadn't escaped the battle entirely unscathed. One hand held to his side, he moved his legs off the side of the bed and let his bare feet hit the carpet. The sedation was wearing off, but he still felt groggy and sluggish.

But he had to see her.

Pushing off from the bed with a grunt, Beast Boy shakily moved towards the door. The floor beneath his feet seemed to pitch and roll sickeningly, making him immediately nauseous. Gripping at the flat wall to steady himself, he hit the release button and hissed as the lights in the hallway hit him full in the face. Fuck that was bright. Even standing still it felt like the tower was rocking backwards and forwards, and backwards and forwards...

He managed a few steps into the hall before two large hands suddenly landed on his shoulders, "Woah B. Steady now." Beast Boy almost shot through the roof. "Dude! Cold hands!" Cyborg just scoffed at him. "If you were wearin' a shirt, you wouldn't feel my cold hands. What are you thinking, man? Come on and lie down before you fall down." Beast Boy shook his head in protest, but he was still too weak to stop Cyborg steering him back into his room and the next thing he knew he was back in his bed, staring up at his ceiling again. Dammit.

"We had to shoot you up with enough tranquilliser to drop an elephant." Cyborg was saying as he pulled a chair up beside Beast Boy's bed and flipping on the side table lamp before continuing. "Give it time to wear off before you go for struttin' about." Beast Boy resisted the urge to sulk and instead turned his swimming thoughts to trying to clarify a few things. "How... is she?"

Cy rested back and put his feet up on the bed, making himself comfortable to fill in his friend's blanks. "Still out, but Robin says there should be no lasting damage. She's been healing herself slowly, but steadily. Don't worry B. Raven's one tough girl." Beast Boy felt a weight settle on his chest and closed his eyes for a moment. That was something... at least. Raven _was_ tough alright, but behind all her demonic power she was still flesh and blood. She was still so small, so light and so _breakable_. He could have killed her.

He swallowed and tried to focus on the next question. "How long have I been out?" Cy shrugged casually. "Few days." Well. No wonder he felt like shit. He grunted to make his feelings known, but Cy ignored him and added: "You needed the rest to let your side close over. Until Raven wakes up we don't have a healer and we didn't trust you to stay still." Pause. "As evidenced by you wobbling down the hallway in your underwear."

Despite himself, Beast Boy cracked a grin and chuckled before wincing at once. "You loved it— ah, ow, don't make me laugh." Cy grinned at him and the mood lifted a little. No matter what happened, Beast Boy could always count on his best friend to make him remember his sense of humor.

-o-o-o-o-o-

Robin sat looking over the main database, lost in thought. Usually, nothing got past his innate awareness of his surroundings, but he was so troubled that this time he didn't hear the door as Beast Boy enter the room until he spoke. "Why didn't you keep me restrained?"

Robin looked up from the monitor bay and was greeted with the sight of his friend standing in the doorway, dressed in a long sleeved top, jeans and sneakers. Ah, that was right, his usual uniform had been disposed. "Hey. You're awake." It seemed necessary to state the obvious, but Beast Boy seemed not to hear him. He walked up to Robin, who stood to greet him and the two young men exchanged a long, hard look with each other. Sizing each other up.

It happened from time to time. Out of all the Titans, Beast Boy was the one most likely to challenge Robin's authority as team leader. A loveable larrikin he may be, but Robin was aware that deep down Beast Boy was the only other alpha personality on the team. Robin held his ground, held Beast Boy's glare evenly for as long as the shapeshifter needed before Robin felt it was time to talk. "You were only restrained in the medical bay because we didn't know if you were yourself." Beast Boy's eyes narrowed and he bared his teeth for one split second before demanding: " _And am I_?!"

Robin studied him. Carefully. He wasn't really angry. He just wanted answers, wanted to know if he was to blame for Raven's condition. Robin knew how Beast Boy thought, that was part of what made him a good leader. He knew his team.

"Yes."

Robin observed some of the aggression seep from Beast Boy and whatever this... exchange between them was, it broke. Beast Boy sank down on the sofa heavily and Robin couldn't tell if he looked relieved or not. It was almost as if he'd wanted Robin to tell him anything except that he was fine. Robin sighed, "I had Cyborg run a full analysis on your DNA while you were out. Whatever happened out there Beast Boy, this _wasn't_ a slip of your control on your animal side."

Beast Boy had hunched over, his elbows on his knees and ran a hand back through his hair anxiously. "But you don't know for sure that this wasn't my fault. Dammit Robin, I told you, you **_promised_** me..."

Robin suddenly felt like his belly was full of steel, and his brow furrowed darkly. "I promised you that if you ever transformed into the Beast and lost..." He paused to take a grim breath, "... lost control, that I'd take you out before you could hurt anyone. That is **not** what happened. You were in tiger form, you never shifted into the Beast which tells me this is something else." God he hated it every time Beast Boy brought up that damned promise. Team leader or not, Beast Boy was one of his best friends, and he'd been torn apart by his solemn word ever since Beast Boy had forced it from him.

"It was close enough!"

Robin folded his arms over his chest and gave Beast Boy a steely glare. "That _wasn't_ what I gave my word on. I will not... _cannot_ , be so quick to just put down one of my own. You can't expect me to be." He hadn't intended his voice to come out quite as harshly as what it had, but Robin didn't back down. It would have to be a _**hell** _of a lot closer before he'd be responsible for the death of another family member. The shapeshifter didn't respond, and robin watched him as he stared down at the carpet between his shoes, his head in his hands. It was rare to see Beast Boy so... serious.

Robin controlled his anger and after a moment, came to sit down beside his friend, kicking the flip that lowered the computer core system back under the floor of the Teen Titans main living area. "Listen. Buddy, we're going to figure this out. I promise you, I'll get you answers, but you need to know that as far as the team is concerned, whatever happened was done to both you _and_ Raven." He put his hand on his shoulder and Beast Boy looked up at him, his expression unreadable and so complex.

"You're not the bad guy here Beast Boy. You and Raven were victims, and if this was done to you intentionally you'd better believe that we will come down hard on what or whoever is responsible." This time, the exchanged look between comrades was one of appreciation and respect. It was a few minutes before Beast Boy drew a deep breath. "Can I see her?"

Robin hated himself for the twinge of apprehension he felt, and thanked the stars that Beast Boy didn't notice. After everything he'd just told him, he had to have more faith in him then that. Robin wouldn't become like... _**him**_ , suspicious of everyone and everything around him. "Yeah. 'Course you can. Star's there, I'm sure she wouldn't mind a break."

Beast Boy nodded and got to his feet, his posture more calm. He made his way over to the elevator and Robin watched him, waiting for what he knew was coming. Sure enough, as the doors opened, Beast Boy paused and half looked back at Robin form over his shoulder. He hesitated a moment, but finally said it.

"Thanks Robin... For making sure she wasn't left alone."

Robin just nodded as he watched Beast Boy leave. It was an unspoken but, a known thing, that Beast Boy's friendship with Raven was one of the most complex and strange connections on the team... Certain allowances had to be given. Still. Just in case, Robin would monitor the security cameras in the medical bay.

-o-o-o-o-o-


	3. Going All Alpha-Male

_A/N I'm so excited to be reading all your reviews and how keen you are to see what's next, but I took my time on this one as it has some moments I really had to think through carefully. Finally, though, some BB and Rae time!_

 _-Jupiter_

-o-o-o-o-o-

Beast Boy watched the numbers on the elevator tick down, growing more and more apprehensive. He hadn't had the time, or been in any state of mind to truly take in Raven's condition last time he'd been down here. Would she look better than the picture of her he had in his head or worse? And what would she say when she woke up?

He couldn't help his guts twisting at the thought of loosing the trust of those he cared about. Not just trust between friends, but the deep bond between comrades who put their lives in each other's hands day in and day out. Even when they squabbled, the Titans knew that when it mattered they could count on one another... The vision of any of them being unable to look him in the eye was enough to make Beast Boy wither.

The Titans were his family, his pride, his _wolf_ _pack_... and he'd die to protect them. What he'd done to Raven was an affront to everything he stood for from the foundation up. It betrayed everything he was. He couldn't stand it!

The elevator doors opened with a soft _ding_ and Beast Boy was shaken from his thoughts. He exhaled softly, ran a hand back through his thick hair and walked towards the medical bay. He rounded the corner and caught sight of Starfire, bright as a flame in the cold light. She was seated by Raven's bedside, poised politely with her hands in her lap just... patiently waiting for Raven to wake up. The alien watched her friend in concern, the light reflecting off her long red hair that changed to pink as it tumbled down her back.

The sound of Beast Boy's approaching steps caused her to look up with her iridescent eyes and, upon seeing him, her entire expression lit up. "Beast Boy!" The green shapeshifter was knocked back half a step as the bright blur of a girl hurtled into him. "Oh! It is so very good to see you awake," Star exclaimed in joy. Beast Boy melted. She wasn't afraid of him... only relieved he was alright, and her relief was matched only by his own. He returned her hug tightly, feeling a surge of affection for her. "Thanks Star."

Starfire let him go and beamed up at him, truly and genuinely happy to see him. She must have worried... Beast Boy managed a lop-sided smile for her before his eyes were drawn over her shoulder to the bed. "How is she doing?" Star turned to follow his gaze back to Raven, then he felt her hand on his arm as Star guided them forwards to Raven's bedside together. If she hadn't, he probably would have kept his distance.

Beast Boy's smile faltered as he looked over the unconscious Titan. The girl that lay in the bed had very pale skin, soft dark hair and bold dark eyebrows that elegantly arched over her closed eyes. Most would describe her coloring as dull, but Beast Boy was more observant than most. He knew the flush of blood in her cheeks that made her skin glow, knew the color of the veins visible at her wrists, knew the shade of pink of her mouth, the shock of the disarmingly bright violet that was her eyes...

He swallowed, because none of those colors were visible to him now. She was white as paper, her lips pale, eyes closed. Raven was so still that her long eyelashes weren't even flickering with the usual indication of dreams.

"Raven is doing the oh-kay," Star reassured him in a more gentle tone, seeing the expression on his face. "Perhaps you would sit with her a while? Robin says I need to break." "A break," Beast Boy corrected her without even thinking, unable to look away from Raven. Star just smiled and nodded, "Then I shall be back for the later," ...and Beast Boy suddenly found himself alone in the room.

He didn't know how long he just stood there, but eventually he forced himself to round the bed and sink into Star's vacated seat. If Raven was able to feel or sense that he was there, she gave no indication. She was so eerily still. Her chest barely rose and fell as she breathed, and she wasn't levitating like she'd been when he'd seen her last.

Beast Boy's gaze fell and he watched his own hand reach out to where Raven's lay on the covers and allowed the backs of his fingers to brush against the backs of hers. He'd been afraid they'd be cold to the touch as they looked, but her white skin was pleasantly velvet and warm. After a moment's hesitation, he let his thumb slip around and under her wrist to feel the soft pulse of a heartbeat that told him she was still alive. Instincts stirred. Nothing new there when it came to her...

A chill splintered through his body so fast it emptied his lungs and Beast Boy snatched back his hand from her skin with a yelp. He threw himself back into the chair, pupils blown wide as a foreign sensation raked through him head to toe. "Sorry!" He heard himself blurt out the apology while his mind reeled. What the hell was that?? Beast Boy tingled all over, his senses tripping over themselves to resolve a feeling that was absolutely and completely not his own.

He knew this emotion. The displeasure at an uninvited intrusion of her personal space, her annoyance at the stroke of his thumb against her wrist. _Raven_. He had felt her emotion, her reaction? _How_?? Did this mean she was aware? Able to hear him?! Panic and urgency ripped at him for dominance, and before Beast Boy knew what he was doing he was on his feet with the chair clattering to the floor behind him. Next beat and he was leaning over Raven, his hand clamped on her wrist, not caring how she felt about it.

"Raven. _I felt you_."

He waited, breathless, and it came. A surge of confused, complicated emotions, and the same horrible, splintering feeling pushed through him. It was like the presence of her shattering through his being; But it was her. Beast Boy gripped the edge of the bed with his spare hand, breathing heavily. Steady. Steady boy. _**Easy**_.

Everything animal in him was throwing instincts. The urge to prowl around her bed and snarl at anything that got close until she woke up was suddenly _damn_ strong. Useless as that would be. Going all alpha-male on her right now wouldn't be productive for either of them, so he forced it back down in favor of an attempt at higher thinking.

Robin. Robin would have far more information about Raven's deep healing state and if this was normal... but he'd have to let go of her wrist to reach the intercom. Doing that might sever the connection and if Raven was in trouble it might be their only way to communicate. **Fuck** he was so out of his depth with anything magic!

Beast Boy looked around him hopelessly and by chance noticed the chair still on the floor behind him. He successfully procrastinated for a few minutes by leaning half his weight on Raven's bed, one leg extended out as far as he could reach, fishing for the chair with the tip of his trainer. He managed to hook his shoe under the chair and maneuver it back to position besides Raven's bed without letting go of her arm. More importantly, it gave him the time he needed to _think_.

Once the chair was pulled up close and Beast Boy had sat down, he slowly folded his lithe arms in front on him on top of the covers. He looked over Raven, his feelings mixed. He blamed himself, it was easy to admit that, but he was less willing to admit that he was also filled with a steely **fury**. A fury directed at whatever had taken him over, and fury at himself for _allowing_ it. She'd feel that. He just hoped she knew that he felt like this for her sake, and it wasn't directed at her. For all he knew, negative emotions could hurt her right now.

Beast Boy shook his head to himself, gathering his courage before letting his hand smooth down from her wrist to take Raven's soft hand in his. "Sorry I'm not my usual dashing self," he mumbled. An immediate prickling of irritation arced up, but he ignored her and threaded his fingers through hers. He looked down at their entwined hands. "It's easier for me to hold your hand than your wrist." He explained after a moment, "This might be one weird ass way to have a conversation but... we need to talk."

-o-o-o-o-o-

 _If you have time for a review they really do make my entire day and inspire me to write more. See you next chapter!_


End file.
